58 Responses to “GrapeRadio Contest”

I loved the Sta. Rita Hills panel. I’d suggest doing the same for grower/winemakers for a number of different grapes. Though my personal interest would be for a Santa Barbara Grenache/Syrah panel, I’d also be interested in people who primarily grow Chardonnay, Merlot, Cab, etc. I found the comparison of growing conditions to the “classic” European climates fascinating.

(1) For us without a fortune to go out and get into the wine business, do a round table or interview with some of the “foot soldiers”, the people who you see pouring wine in the stores on weekends or the ones hoofing it around selling wine to restaurants for a distributer. This is inspired by meeting a woman so pours Spanish wines at stores here in NYC who LOVES LOVES LOVES what she does yet you know she’s betting by financially at best. Also inspired by the wine director at Del Posto here in NYC who I know from college. He hoofed it for years doing various things like working as the guy who puts the wine into bags for blind tastings at Wine Spectator and then worked his way into the Mario Batali emoire.

These guys can be inspirations for us wine lovers out here who think about getting in the business but don’t really know how with our limited incomes.

(2) Finger Lake Rieslings vs. German Rieslings. (I’m originally from Upstate New York.)

(3) The importance of trying to visit the wine regions you really love. I liked Bordeaux but a visit a year ago really put the wines into context for me.

(4) How to start your own “wine club”. Maybe this one isn’t exactly a whole show but part of another. Insired by the guy who you interviewed who wrote “The Best Cellar” (great book btw) and how he gets together with a bunch of guys, works with a budget, and they get together once a month tasting the wines he picks out. Maybe as part of a “how to teach yourself about wine” show. You could also review the Wine Spectator online courses and talk about some courses offered at local colleges and such. I’m taking one at NYU next semester.

I’d like to hear a show on the health benefits of drinking wine. Perhaps you could bring in a professor from the UC Davis Viticulture & Enology department working on this field (e.g. Dr. Andrew Waterhouse) to lay down some hard, scientific fact. Thanks for the great shows!

Seminar of phyloxeria, it’s impact on France, the rest of the wine world, and how botany overcame the possible calamity

Something on the “insta-cults”–How millions of dollars, a highly reputable winemaker, good critic scores and a sky high initial release price can be used to create an “insta-Cult” ie. Blankiett, Kapscandy, Levy-McClellan, Sloan, etc., etc

I would love to hear about regional American wines from states other than CA, OR, and WA. I would also love to learn more about the world of the sommelier (how do you become one, what is the life like). Would love to have a program about the book Nobel Rot-it was amazing and a program about local wine clubs across the country.

I’d like to hear a show (or shows) about some of the less heralded wine producing areas, both in the US and international. Much like your last show on Ch. Musar, what about New York, Texas… Hungary, Switzerland… There are so many people and places producing good wine that it would be great to hear about more of them.

You have done some shows in the past that I really enjoyed focusing on specific wines and regions. My favorites being the shows you have had on pinot noirs and on the Santa Rita appellation. I would love to hear more shows based on specifics like these. For instance, I am a big fan of the Wilamette Valley wines or I would like to hear more about how the different winemaking processes effect the taste of Chardonays etc.

I also would like to let you know how much I enjoy your shows. They are not only educational, but entertaining as well. Keep up the good work from a regular listener.

I heard an interesting opinion over the weekend; Napa/California is killing the wine market with overpriced average wines and over pricing wine in general. The conversation was around wine is the “it” beverage at the moment and the producers are going to make as much money as they can before the market dries up and people start drinking something else leaving a glut of average overpriced wine. I would like to hear your opinions on this topic and perhaps a round table discussion with winemakers, vineyard owners, distributers and the average wine consumer as to where they see wine going.

I’d like you to do occasional shows where you attend major wine-tasting events and comment on wines you were impressed by. The ZAP in January would be a perfect example. Even though I’m attending for the fifth year in a row, I won’t *cumulatively* have tasted everything being poured, so I’d welcome even a post-tasting show on what you found interesting.

Second, I echo the previous suggestions that you visit and comment on wines in other states, especially those outside the California-Oregon-Washington strong spots. Wine is being grown in the most improbable places these days, and a running/pouring commentary would be great fun to listen to — even if you found wines you didn’t like! (If you need volunteers on this, please don’t hesitate to ask!)

Third, tasting notes on some less common wines in California. For example, a number of vintners are making “Portugese-style” ports, with varying degrees of success (and apparently with varying ingredients). Thomas Coyne and Westville are two that come to mind. A lineup of those and remarks on how you liked ‘em would be appreciated.

I think a show on some of the up and coming “do it yourself” wineries like crushpad would be cool. I am part of a wine club and we have thought about doing it. A really nice program on that might help others with the idea as well.

I would love for a roundtable about “real” cult wines, or atleast what cult wines used to be. Not overpriced, over hyped vintners with too much money, but true artisans making excellent wines in small quantities for the love of the wine, not the love of the green.

How about a show with wine makers who use the same grape but are from different regions (ex: On Syrah, have Pax Wines (from California), Elderton (from Australia) and Guigal (from France)). I think it would be interesting to compare the philosophies and terriors.

I think your best shows are those about wine regions (e.g. New Zealand, Piedmont, Bordeaux). As I’ve mentioned to Jay Selman, I recommend that Grape Radio try to annually cover all the major wine regions, perhaps by interviewing importers or trade reps or whomever is an expert of the region. I think many of us love wine because there are so many fascinating things happening around the world with different grapes, different climates, different terroirs, different vintages. And it’s so fun to try the wines, especially after you know a little about where they come from.

It’s a great show but it would benefit from being more international and more systematic about coverage of topics (e.g. annual coverage of different wine regions, as I mention above). Thanks!

Since the contest is for QPR wine, why not a show about QPR wines? There are all kinds of great value wines from all over (except maybe California). Interview someone like Dan Kravitz, Jorge Ordonez or Leonardo Locasio who import many great value wines and someone from QPR wines to explain their system.

I think it would be interesting to have an interview with James Conaway, author of both “Napa: The Story of an Amarican Eden” and “The Far Side of Eden: New Money, Old Land, and the Battle for Napa Valley”.

He paints a compelling picture in his second book of wealthy, egotistical executives from outside the wine industry coming to Napa and bulldozing hillsides for their wine caves and their McMansions and creating havoc to the valley ecology.

This would likely be a contoversial show, and may offend past and future winemakers and winery owners whom you’ve had on your show.

1) Kevin Harvey from Rhys on the brisk interest in a relatively new winery, about his experiences in going from seedling to sale, what he’s trying to accomplish with his wines, etc.

2) Wine as Exit Strategy – Would love to hear an interview from people who didn’t necessarily go straight to UC Davis at a young age, but rather found themselves among the vines later in life in search of something more — the whys, the wheretos, the hows, etc. of their journey — Including winemakers, sommeliers, wine merchants, importers, writers, critics, etc.

I really enjoy the shows with more informal discussion like the ones about rituals, tasting notes and touring w/Eric. My favorites have to be the Santa Rita Hills Roundtable discussions. They were so informative and the enthusiasm about the AVA was contagious. I had already loved SRH Pinots, but hearing Wes, Rick & Peter really opened my eyes to how special the terroir really is. I also dug Wes’s one-liners and analogies … very funny.

In future shows, it would be great to showcase other AVA’s in a roundtable. I’d like to learn more about Santa Lucia Highlands, Paso Robles, the sub appellations of Sonoma … etc.

I didn’t care much fo rthe hot spots program because I think that type of discussion weaves into more wine specific programming. I think I learned more from the world of Pinot programs and seminars.

I would also like to hear more programs about Oregon, Washington and British Columbia wines and wine growers. In the vein of wines that pair well with food I’d appreciate a program focusing on the wines of the Loire, Alsace.

How about a show with advice on how to “graduate” from a wine novice to the next level? You know, going from experimenting with a lot of $10-$15 bottles to being comfortable and smart about stepping up to the $20-$40 range. What is essential to know in order to spend wisely?

Some suggestions -
Could you include some information about wines from Japan?
Over the years I have lived in Japan, the quality of Japanese wine has improved and the volume, although small, has been increasing. Outside opinions and comments about Japanese wines could make an interesting segment for a show. The consumption of imported wine in Japan has increased tremendously though still low by western standards, and interest in wine among wine drinkers here is increasing, too.

During every visit to home in the U.S., I am envious to see the many wine shops and the large variety of wines available even in supermarkets. I wish prices in Japan were closer to those in the U.S. Maybe my modest stock of wine would be larger if prices here were lower.

Throughly enjoy your shows. I must take the longer ones in segments, though, as I listen during my commute when subway/train noises force me to pause frequently.

* I would love to hear a show on Brunello di Montalcino (my favorite of the Italian wines)
* Regional evolutions (Willamette, Upstate NY, Colorado!)
* Repeat of a recommendation I made before – a show Miles would NEVER listen to – Great Merlot. Talk to a panel of great Merlot producers and discuss the effect of the Sideways backlash and how it has affected their business for this varietal.

I would like to second David’s suggestion of interviewing some “foot soldiers”, as I’m getting ready to become one myself. 18 years of working for my current employer has come to an end, as the company is being re-organized and sold off, with our delivery office in Atlanta closing. I am going to work in a wine / liquor shop for very little money, with my wonderful fiancee’s full support. She’ll be paying most of the bills. I’ll be studying under one of Atlanta’s finest wine managers, working towards becoming her assistant in managing the wine department, along with meeting people in the local business community. Someday I plan on opening my own small wine shop and what I’ll lack in financial reward, I hope to make up for in hands on education. I’d love to hear some stories about what makes a great retail establishment from others who sell the world’s finest beverage to others who make a lot more money.

I’m an engineer so any technical discussions will interest me. Some specific ideas are:

- Explain the practice of clones and clippings and planting root stock vs whatever other methods there are.

- Technical terms/concepts like Brix or how minerals in the soil affect taste.

- Interview a wine maker and have them walk through the life of a wine from grapes on the vine to the time when the bottle is fully aged and at its peak, or even past that point. Talk about how the tastes and aromas evolve or change over time.

- Food and wine pairing ideas are always great to hear. Plan a couple imaginary meals and match the wine with the courses. Talk about what flavors you are trying to bring out from the food and the wine.

how about a whole discussion of the shipping regulations – FreeTheGrapes, etc. The shipping situation has a big influence on the marketing of wine and who gets what. That coupled with the suggestion on mailing lists might make a good and “hot” topic. Maybe representatives favoring the three-tiered system could explain their value.

That is group of Mendocino wine makers have formed a
collaborative that all produce wines under the group guidelines. They don’t have to
do all their wines under the guidelines, but the wines that are, all share the same base
label designation. It is patterned after regional wines instead of varietal designations.
Kind of like a Bordeaux is a regional blend. Some of the rules for the wine are
that all wines are made in the region from only grapes in the region. They must be
at least 40% percent Zin but no more than 70%, other constituents can make up
no more of a percentage that the Zin percentage.
1 year minimum in barrel, 6 mo min in bottle. 2 year min before release and 3 year
maximum. Barrel wood must be a min of 25% new and max of 75%.
Reviewed by a panel of 5 for conformance and bottle price of $35.

I think is is very cool. A cooperative like this could be very good for the industry
as a whole if these types of things catch on.

Another suggested guest is actually one of the wine makers from that group
Sally Ottoson, Wine maker at Pacific Star Winery.

Pacific star is, I guess, the farthest westerly winery in the 48 contiguous US.
A great little winery north of fort Bragg;

A very interesting thing about the winery is they actually age their wine in the
barrel OUTSIDE. If you you to their website, there is a great shot of all the barrels
outside. http://www.pacificstarwinery.com

Love your show. You guys do a great job on wine and wine related topics such as closures, stems, Napa, auctions, crush season, etc. I would love to hear (and see) more content where you step into the food pairing areas. As we all know, wine is great, but even better when paired with the right dish. Maybe you could bring in some chefs to compliment your other guests. I’d love nothing more than to hear what will go great with my Clos Pepe Pinot and Chard that is about to show up on my doorstep. Sort of a wine AND food classroom via the ipod. Thanks and keep up the good work.

Find a winery that had one or more of their bottlings recently reviewed by Parker or Spectator for the first time. Take us through the whole suspensful ordeal; deciding what wine to send, how to send it, what it’s like waiting for the score, how and when you find out the score and ultimately, what effect (if any) the score has on the future sales of your wine.

I’ve always respected the critics and learn a lot from reading them, but I have never believed they could single-handedly make or break a wine (any more than I believed that Frank Rich could close a Broadway show on opening night). I would love to hear a show about an unknown winery who went 12 rounds with one of the major critics, and lived to tell about it!

How about covering wines from Long Island? And, somewhat connected, it might be interesting to hear from someone at Banfi wines which has a winery in Tuscany, a vineyard and some office space on Long Island [though nowhere near the rest of the Long Island vineyards] and import a variety of other wines of diverse quality [Riunite, Concha y Toro].

Hi Guys
I would like to hear an episode on biodynamics vineyard management and winemaking.With the pro`s and con`s of this sort of system of making wines.
Also an overview of the wines of chile would be good as well.
Best Wishes

I’ve really enjoyed the “history of” and “winemaker profile” shows you’ve done – Shafer, Mike Grgich, Bo and Heidi Barrett, etc. Would be great if you could do a few more – ex. evolution of Paso Robles, Turley, Jordan, etc.

The first thing that came to mind for me was an interview with Paul Draper of Ridge Wines. After reading thru the comments posted already, I realise that I am not the only one hoping for such a show, but might I suggest that “majority rules”? I think that his vast experience would make for a very interesting interview. Lytton Springs and Monte Bello are truly classic wines, made from entirely different blends of grapes, to a fantastic level of quality.

I will send an email to Ridge again for a request to interview Paul. I have not heard back from them on my previous attempt. They have their own podcast, so maybe that has something to do with not getting a response.
Jay

I would like to hear an interview with a hands-on importer,one who has some control over the way a wine is produced and aged. I think it would be interesting to explore the dynamic between the winegrower/winemaker and importer and their competing interests

Not sure you haven’t done this, but what about a virtual tasting show with widely distributed wines that most listeners across the country have access to acquiring. Maybe something along the lines of Jancis’ book How To Taste.

What makes a great tasting room experience?
Conversely, what diminishes a tasting room visit and can that be avoided?
Name names of the best tasting rooms.
Does tasting room quality vary by region?
Craziest tasting room visit anecdote.
Most unusual or clever tasting room concept/experience.

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GrapeRadio is a wine talk show. Show topics cover issues such as the enjoyment of wine, wine news and industry trends - the hallmark of the show is interviews with world class guest (winemakers, vineyards owners, wine retail / wholesale leaders, restaurateurs and sommeliers). The scope of the show is international so expect to hear many guests from around the world.

GrapeRadio has received numerous awards and honors including the 2008 James Beard Award for excellence in Journalism.

GrapeRadio has been the subject of numerous news reports by: The New York Times, Business Week, CNN, The Financial Times of London, and Wired Magazine.